Preflashing RA-4 Color Darkroom Prints 

The ra4 videos are my favorite! There is so little content about the process on RU-vid and you do make things easy to understand

You pre-flash the audience in the intro, so it makes sense that we want more of it.

Great video! Amazing patience to go through this process. Looking forward to doing some more RA4

Awesome video! Thanks for making these experiment! These tests are well organized and executed, and helps me a lot! Greet from Taiwan.

Thank you so much for this. I was struggling with my hightlights and masking was a mess. I was about yo quit color printing. I didn't want yo because truly love those incredible colors I got. I could reach some of my printing goals with that. Another time, thanks.

Thank you for making this video! Love from Spain. 🤍

I first got into color printing in early 1980s. I started by learning to print original Cibachrome, which in turn required that I become well versed in Contrast masking, as that material was practically unprintable otherwise. Overall, this was like learning to swim by grabbing a 20 lb barbell and jumping into the deep end of the pool. On the other hand, color printing on color negative materials has never posed a great challenge for me. Now that Kodak Pan Masking film has gone with the dodo, masking is a bit more tricky, but doable. I look forward to exploration of color and contrast masking here, as it isn't that much more complicated to do, and presents some easier controls IMO.

Thanks for the informative video! I would love to see a video on color separation negatives using BW film for making a color print from a slide. Thanks again!

Great to see the detailed steps in this. I guess you could also preflash the film to bring up the shadows, that would be interesting to see.

Thank you for this video, so great to see content on RA4. There is not much info on this so appreciate you sharing :) I have heard some fashion photographers pre flash with a colour, how would this affect the print differently than adjusting the filtration, like would it affect the highlights more? Would love to see more RA4 videos :) Thank you!

Hello! Congratulations on your videos! They are incredible! I had a question that I would like you to answer. I would like to know the difference between fog and preflash. On the other hand, I see that there are people who apply a color cast in the preflash to give it a different touch. Could you explain the difference between: - applying the dominant color directly to the general print and then giving it a preflash of neutral gray -applying the normal color to the general print and applying the dominant to the preflash? Thank you

Hi, Thank you so much for this video. It has been super helpful for my work. All though I was thinking if it would be possible you to also make a video how to do color cast with pre flashing. I have tried different things but I haven’t got so good results. I have watched many times pictures by Joel Sternfeld and I have tried to get his color. He many times has warmed highlights ad relatively cool shadows. Thank you so much!

Amazing videos ! Some Photographers want color casts mixed in by the pre flash so can you make a new video with colorful preflashing casts?

Given the minor color balance differences between film brands, I suspect that this flashing technique works a lot easier if you make a grey balanced negative for flashing purposes on every type of color film you plan to us, rather than making one flashing negative and then trying to use it "cross-brand".

Ys sir preflight reduces contrast also and bring reasonable details in shadow mid tones and high lights and u just opened of the masking which is a also a great help when there is no ways left and some how a print to save skin is the demands so there is shadow musk highlight musks are measured exposures fr these extremes and then sandwiching with the Nain negative in perfect registrations and one common exposure to be used ...preflashing in B/w also reduces papers contrast when right contrast grade of paper is absent...in this case colour films extra bt blanck are equally fr all over the basic negative so my pnt is how it increase or reduces contrast and such extra blanck is if at all can support the hon able Author and more over different manufacturers such integral musk's colour are not alike so it must be the same blanck fr a same film .. to me it appers that more safe is to have musks eg if highlight is say soo dense or blown while natural that shadows do nt have sufficient densities and will be solid with out details here a shadow musk by care fully exposing fr the shadow by another piece of light sensitive emulsion or film of same make uf then sandwiched together one then can ezpise fr the blown out highlights which will be more than the shadow part bt being guarded or musked shadow won't go deep to deepest or it will avoid solid by look kindly perdon fr my such mentions Pl sir dada Nomistry with regards

We used to pre-flash RA-4 to ad (lets say amber) a ‘color-filter effect to enhance skin tones … instead of contrast controle Instagram filter avant la lettre so to speak ;-)

Is there a big shortage on ra-4 papers and chemicals? I want to get into it eventually when i am good enough at black and white printing. Love you videos!

It would be cool if he would do a video on the different Kodak safelight filters explaining them. I am new to dark room. I have shot digital. I just bought a used kodak safelight that came with the #1a filter light red. However I do not know if that would be ok on ilford VC paper both RC and FB. The dark red is obviously darker however I do not know if I need it with the 1a filter that is coming with the used kodak lamp I bought.

The color viewing filters go for gold prices on eBay. Thank you for the video!

I did preflash in RA4 and BW but just a couple of times, the gains are subtle and many times do not worth the effort. I go directly to contrast masks when I find any serious problems.

Could you just use a color densitometer to match the grey card in reflection mode or would that be overkill?

What about using a Sekonic spectrometer, would that speed up the color calibration process?

can you show us also how to fog paper properly also to produce warm tones please and thank you!

you don't find that changing exposure time affects color balance?

I love these videos, I just wish the guy would put some pants on.

How do I subscribe to your premium content here? See no link…unless you have to be on a desktop to see it?

Hi, Thank you so much for this video. It has been super helpful for my work. All though I was thinking if it would be possible you to also make a video how to do color cast with pre flashing. I have tried different things but I haven’t got so good results. I have watched many times pictures by Joel Sternfeld and I have tried to get his color. He many times has warmed highlights ad relatively cool shadows. Thank you so much!